Color bleeding - Atari 800XL

[GimpMaster]

Hey guys, I'm not sure if this is the right forums to post here, but I just got my Atari 800XL working again. It turns out the power supply went bad and was sending a sine wave from 0->10 Volt instead of just keeping it at a nice regulated 5V.

 

However I think this might have damaged it since now in the bottom left hand corner of the screen I have a big purple area. Have you guys seen this before? Any suggestions on what I might do?

 

Thanks.

[Gunstar]

That wouldn't be the 800XL's video, but your TV/monitor which somehow has discolored there from a stray magnetic field, which the cause of could be several different reasons, but it's not the 800XL. It's just conicidence that your TV/monitor developed this problem as you just fixed your 800XL. Do you have any speakers or the 800XL power pack close to that area of the TV/monitor? Possibly the TV/monitor's internal speaker is getting old and weak and has a warped magnetic field, or just something magnetic was set or passed over that area. In any case, the TV/monitor needs to be degaussed and/or the magnetic interference removed. In any case, it's your TV/monitor that has developed the problem and not your 800XL. Plug your 800XL into a different TV or monitor and you will see it's not the 800XL. From your simple description and my personal experience with old TV/monitors with similar problems that's my educated assumption.

Edited February 17, 2007 by Gunstar

[GimpMaster]

Very good. I had a DC power supply sitting next to my tv. Inside must be a big magnet or something that is really showing itself on the blue colors. I adjusted the TV and moved it physically away from my power supply and all is good.

 

Thanks again.

[Gunstar]

No problem. But it's not a big magnet in your power pack, all electronic devices generate a magnatic field, especially power supplies. They will disrupt the magnets that drive the CRT picture tube's cathode ray gun.